Cushing 4 N5321U

Summary

On 4 June 1989 at about 20:15 local time, a Cushing 4 registered N5321U was involved in an accident near Mansfield, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 June 1989 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Mansfield, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.8901, -119.5009

Aircraft

Cushing 4

Registration

N5321U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Okanogan → Buena

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA89FA099

2 people died.

FAILURE OF THE LEFT WING MAIN SPAR DUE TO OVERLOAD FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE LEFT WING OF THE HOMEBUILT SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. THE WING MAIN SPAR WAS A HEAVY WOODEN BEAM WITH METAL REINFORCEMENT PLATES BOLTED TO THE FORE AND AFT SURFACES THAT EXTENDED THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT CABIN. THE SPAR WAS FOUND BROKEN ADJACENT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CABIN, THROUGH BOLT HOLES AT THE METAL REINFORCEMENT BRACKETS. THE WOOD SPLINTERS IN THE FRACTURED SPAR WERE BENT TOWARD THE TOP SURFACE OF THE WING. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE CRACKING OR DRY ROTTING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.